


Hard Came the Rain

by chaoticamanda



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Everybody Dies, F/M, spoilers for episode 93, tary is saved by deus ex machina in the form of a gate stone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-17
Updated: 2017-04-17
Packaged: 2018-10-19 21:57:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10648851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaoticamanda/pseuds/chaoticamanda
Summary: The gate stone that Vex had given him, shoved into a side-pocket on his bag to be ignored, was glowing and vibrating.





	Hard Came the Rain

**Author's Note:**

> i _know_ that the gate stone doesn't teleport between planes, but i needed an excuse to write angsty scanlan finding out they all died and also meeting tary so ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

Kaylie notices it before he does.

The gate stone that Vex had given him, shoved into a side-pocket on his bag to be ignored, was glowing and vibrating. “Uh, Father?” She nods to it, the light seeping through the gaps in the cloth, and he blinks before looks down at it. He’s still not used to her calling him Father, and he doesn’t think she’s used to saying it, but they’re both trying.

“Oh,” he reaches into the pocket, pulling out the stone. It drops from his palm as soon as he registers the flash of heat it brings, vibrating more violently, the light almost blinding. He doesn’t have time to think about what might be coming through the other side, who he’ll have to face. It’s been weeks since he left them, and he’s done everything he can to shove them down, out of sight with the rest of his issues. He and Kaylie have never really talked about what happened, and he was sure he’d have more time before he had to deal with his choices.

The vibration seems to reach a crescendo and there is a flash of light that causes both Kaylie and Scanlan to shield their eyes. Kaylie’s already got a hand on her weapon, but Scanlan ignores the twitch of his fingers. When the light fades, there is a blond human man clutching a stone to his chest, eyes pressed shut as he takes shaky breath. He doesn’t open his eyes at first, but tears are clearly streaking down his dirty face. “Who the fuck’re you?” Kaylie demands, making the man’s eyes shoot open.

Under the tangled hair and the filthy face, Scanlan almost thinks he recognizes the man. It’s nothing clear, not a name or hometown or anything, but he’s pretty sure he’s seen him somewhere, maybe a long time ago. “O-Oh!” The man puffs out his chest, trying to seem like he isn’t shaking, “It worked! I…the wonders n-never cease!”

“I’m not going to ask again!” Kaylie spits, shaking the sword Scanlan gave her, “ _Who_ are you?”

Scanlan watches the man look down at them, and it looks like he can’t believe he’s alive. Scanlan recognizes the expression.  “I—my name is Taryon Darrington! I’m an…a-adventurer…” Taryon’s voice falters, catching as his situation seems to catch up with him. He looks away from the gnomes, more tears gathering in his eyes.

“How did you get the stone?” Scanlan asks, clenching his jaw. He pretends the pounding in his chest is from surprise, not concern.

Taryon looks back at him, lip wobbling as he speaks, “My…I was travelling with…I was part of a group called Vox Machina.”

There is a jolt of something—not completely fear, not completely shock, not completely hurt—that runs through Scanlan. So they replaced him. He tries not to think about how easy it must have been, how _right_ he’d been when he’d confronted them…

Taryon continues, “F-For reasons that are unclear to me…we had to travel to the City of Dis. That’s in Hell. I-It was terrible—I don’t think I even have the words to describe it, and that’s a lot, coming from me. They…they wanted me to escape, to find—oh! You’re gnomes!” The man blinks, as if he’s just made the revolution of the century.

“What of it?” Kaylie sneers, narrowing her eyes. She keeps glancing at Scanlan, but he won’t meet her gaze. So they went to Hell to go after Hotiss. He wonders why they sent this asshole to him—to prove they didn’t need him, to invite him back?

“I mean no offense,” Taryon smiles placatingly at Kaylie, “but don’t all gnomes know each other? I need to find a wonderful cleric by the name of…of Pike,” The confidence fades from his voice, “Do you know her?”

Scanlan swallows the lump in his throat, breathing deeply through his nose, “Exactly what did they tell you about where the stone was taking you? Do you even know who I am?”

“Gods! My manners!” Taryon smacks a hand to his forehead, wincing in real pain, “You’ll forgive me…I’m quite distressed. Vex’ahlia said if it worked I’d find myself with the—with a man named Scanlan Shorthalt. Is…Is that you?”

Scanlan debates lying, but he needs to know exactly what’s going on, “If I was, why would you need to find me?”

Taryon seems to sag at the question, “I…I needed to tell him something—that was the price of my e-escape, along with finding Pike. Wait, it’s all written down…” He reaches into the charred bag of holding by his side, pulling out a thick book. He fumbles with the pages until he’s satisfied, pushing the book into Scanlan’s hands and pointing to the top of a page, “My...Doty was recording everything that happened.”

Scanlan peers at the fine script, confused.

_The chain golem is still attempting to enter. The others ignore it. Taryon bravely paces the room as the surviving members of Vox Machina huddle over the incapacitated. “We’re going to die here!” Taryon proclaims with the voice of a true adventurer, “We have no way out!”_

_Vax’ildan is cradling the fearsome Keyleth in his arms, the life gone from her body. Vex’ahlia has a hand around his arm, her other hand tangled in the hair of the wise Percy’s hair as he breathes shallowly. She is leaning on the shoulder of the goliath Grog, as if he still had comfort to offer even with his insides spilling into his lap. “There is one way out,” Vex’ahlia murmurs._

_“Take it,” Vax’ildan croaks, his voice weak as he struggles to remain awake. The floor of the small storage room is almost completely painted with the mixture of their bloods. “Get out of here.”_

_“I’m not leaving,” Vex’ahlia says firmly, “If this is where Vox Machina dies, this is where I die.”_

_Vax’ildan tries to shake his head, but he doesn’t have much strength left. The gaping wound in his side is still impossibly pouring blood. Taryon crouches, pressing a hand to the unconscious Percy. “This is the most terrifying thing that’s ever happened to me,” Taryon confesses, because a great leader is always honest with his team._

_“I know, darling,” Vex’ahlia takes the hand from Percy’s hair and reaches into one of her pockets, “I’m sorry we brought you here. This was never your fight.Take this—find Pike.”_

_She presses a rock into Taryon’s hand, and he stares at it. “This is some sort of crystal or...rock?” he says observantly._

_“Think hard of leaving this place. It will take you to…to our leader, the one who left us before you hired us. If he hasn’t given it away.” Vex’ahlia coughs, some blood dribbling out of her mouth. “Just…” she reaches up stiffly, clearly in pain, and pulls off her necklace, “…take Trinket, make sure he’s…” she begins to cry, “make sure he’s taken care of, tell him Mummy loves him. Pike will do it. Tell her we’re so sorry. Tell her we love her so much. Tell her thank you for giving us as much time as she has.”_

_Vax’ildan slumps over as his twin sister speaks, head lolling until it’s pressed against both Keyleth’s forehead and his sister’s arm. Taryon is crouching bravely in the face of death, and he nods, “I will. I will do everything you have asked of me, Vex. Your sacrifice means everything.”_

_“Wait…” Vex’ahlia swallows, reaching out to Taryon, “If you see Scanlan…will you tell him that I forgive him? Tell him…I’m sorry that we were such awful friends to him. But I’m glad he isn’t here. He can be with his daughter—I hope he knows how much that means.”_

_The wood is creaking under the chain golem’s insistence. There is not much time._

_Percy’s breath ceases, and Vex’ahlia’s face crumples. She is moving as best she can, gathering her teammates close to her. Taryon stands, waving over his faithful companion, “Doty, let’s go…”_

_“It will only take you,” Vex’ahlia murmurs, “I’m sorry.”_

_“None of you will be forgotten,” Taryon straightens, walking over to his first friend. “I have to go now, Doty. I…I would not do this if there was any other way. But I need you to do one last thing for me. Protect Vox Machina—do anything you can. Give me the book_

The text cuts off suddenly, and Scanlan realizes that he is crying. Kaylie is looking at him with wide eyes and even Taryon seems surprised by his reaction. He feels his age then, in the grief that makes his limbs stiff, in the guilt that drapes over his shoulders. “Uh…” He tries to clear his throat, but all he can think about is that _they’re dead, they’re dead, they were my fucked up family and they’re dead._ “W-Was Pike not with them?”

“She’s in Emon right now, I think,” Taryon presses a finger to his chin, “Or Whitestone. She wanted to come with them, but they decided to do it sooner rather than later. I need…I need to find her.”

“Is…,” Scanlan swallows, “Where is Trinket?”

“Oh!” Taryon pulls out the necklace, “I don’t know how to work it.”

Scanlan reaches up to grab it, and realizes that there is another glowing pendant hanging from Taryon’s neck. “What’s that?”

Taryon looks down, surprised, “Keyleth made those. This was for Scanlan, but then they decided to give it to me. It glows when one of the other necklace wearers is unconscious. Vex must be…” He doesn’t finish the thought.

Scanlan tries to control his grief, summoning Trinket the way he'd seen Vex do a dozen times. The bear is unconscious, so he presses an apology into the bear’s fur, healing him with his soft, ragged voice. The bear’s eyes blink open slowly, and he begins to thrash, confused. “Trinket! It’s me, you stupid bear!” Scanlan grips Trinket's fur, as if it'll make the others come out of it, like they were simply hiding, playing a stupid practical joke.

Trinket cocks his head down at Scanlan, clearly still confused. He looks around and then back at Scanlan, searching for the others. “I’m sorry,” Scanlan’s voice breaks, “I’m so sorry, Trinket," because they've both lost their family.

The bear begins to shake his head, a growl rising from deep in his chest. He backs away from Scanlan and Kaylie, away from Taryon, searching more frantically for his family. “Vex told me to tell you she loves you,” Taryon offers carefully, “but I don’t know if you can understand me.”

“Of course he understands you,” Scanlan scoffs, sniffling. The pulsing light on Taryon’s pendant fades, and Scanlan feels his stomach drop. That’s it, then.

“Father…?” Kaylie asks quietly, like she’s afraid of spooking him. She’s probably got no clue what’s going on, but Scanlan can’t bring himself to say the words.

He steps toward Trinket, “We’re going to Emon.”

Trinket is looking at him with the closest expression to betrayal a bear can have and Scanlan thinks, _that’s fair._ “I won’t let them down,” he tells the bear.

Scanlan will do this—he will carry on their memory, he will make sure the world knows just how much they fucking meant. Kaylie nods and begins to gather their things, and Taryon just stands there, his fingers running over the book. 

Scanlan wants to read the rest of it, wants to know exactly how they got into that mess. He won’t do it now—he can’t. Not when  _tell Scanlan I forgive him_ is etching itself into his brain, not when he thinks about Kiki and Vax and Grog and Vex and Percy all curled together in death, not when he can't stop himself from thinking that he should have been with them. They were his family, powerful and broken and flawed, and even though things had splintered between them, he still loves them. "Come on," Scanlan tugs at Trinket and gestures to Taryon, "We've got a lot of ground to cover."

 


End file.
